Indigestion and vomiting in my elderly cat

[judethepude]

My 17 year-old cat is Hyperthyroid and the medication (Vidalta) is working well, but she often has 'off days' on which she suffers from chronic indigestion and sometimes vomits. She has had Pancreatitis, and we have been advised to feed her only grilled chicken, turkey or fish as well as her special dried food from the Vet. I feel she is not chewing the food well enough now. Could this be causing the indigestion? Or is it something else? And what can I do to help her?
Thanks

[ruthann58]

try soaking her food her teeth probably arnt a lot of good at her age you could try liquidising the meat so that she can lap it up with a little warm water

[Noweia]

Dogs and cats don't chew their food like we do. Cats only use their teeth to break the food down into smaller chunks so it'll fit down into their stomachs. If you feed her chicken/turkey etc make sure you break it down into little bits first so she doesn't need to chew them.

The vomiting and diarrhoea, if she has any, could be down to the hyperthyroidism, or something else completely unrelated. If it is concerning you, you can phone your vets for advice.

[bensmum]

My old cat (18) is also Hyperthyroid. She too gets days when she's sick and then has a very gurgly tum for a while, after which she eats again. I have tried all sorts with her but she will only eat fish and chicken for a little while then goes off of it. She has only 2 teeth so I have to be very careful with her food (didn't stop her catching a mouse the other day!). I tend to buy ordinary cat food and just make sure that this is broken down well. She then has occasional treats of chicken, beef, fish and even scrambled egg so she doesn't get fed up with it too often. The senior cat food is a bit easier on her stomach I have found and I also give her kitten food occasionally (I have checked all this out with the vet)

[judethepude]

Thank you all for your answers. My little cat is now in Veterinary Hospital with kidney failure. She became dehydrated and I realised it had nothing to do with her teeth. She was seriously ill and we are now awaiting news of her condition.

[bensmum]

So sorry to hear that jude - will keep my fingers crossed for you and your cat
XX

[judethepude]

Thank you, Ben's Mum. It's difficult having an elderly pet. I hope yours continues to keep as well as possible for a while longer.
Jude x

[ruthann58]

sorry to hear you old lady is not well she is a good age you have done well i hope the vet will have some good news for you fingers crossed for her